Wall structure

ABSTRACT

A wall structure adapted to be built into a wall, the wall having service conduits passing therewithin, having a framework made up of a pair of horizontal members and a pair of vertical members, and a console having a plurality of outlets therein, the console being mounted to the framework, and the outlets being connected to the service conduits, whereby they become service outlets.

Umted States Patent 13,567,842

[72] Inventor Ronald K. Meyer 2,400,421 5/1946 Johnson 52/502 171 MinnaSt., San Francisco, Calif. 94105 2,671,887 3/1954 Wellman 339/21 [21]Appl. No. 757,614 3,349,535 10/1967 Balinski..... 52/220 [22] FiledSept. 5,1968 3,374,590 3/1968 Kessler 52/221 [45] Patented Mar. 2, 19713,377,756 4/1968 Polhamas 52/495 3,415,024 12/1968 Kotlarz 52/2203,429,090 2/1969 Metelnick 52/495 S I 1,169,156 1958 France 52/498 [52]U. C /2715724//2428l, Primary Examiner Thomas J. Kozma 51 1111.01 H02g3/10 4881mm ExamifiekD- 50] Field of Search 52/27, 36, AmmePMenm,Welssenberger ABSTRACT: A wall structure ada ted to be built into awall, [56] References the wall having service conduits pissingtherewithin, having a UNITED STATES PATENTS framework made up of a pairof horizontal members and a pair 1,515,216 1 1/1924 Kissinger 174/48UXof vertical members, and a console having a plurality of outlets3,462,892 8/ 1969 Meyer 174/49X therein, the console being mounted tothe framework, and the 1,251,471 8/1916 Brooks 339/21 outlets beingconnected to the service conduits, whereby they 2,087,004 7/1937Quanstrom 339/21 become service outlets.

PATENTEDMAR 2|s7| 3567,8 12

same or 2 I INVENTOR.

RONALD K. MEYER M), m w ATTORNEYS WALL STRUCTURE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to wall construction, and moreparticularly to a portion of a wall which has fixed thereto serviceoutlets. Y

It has been found that, during the time from the original designing of ahospital to its actual construction, a large amount of medicaladvancement takes place. New services may be available for use inhospital rooms which were not available a short while earlier.Furthermore, the problem is a continuing one, since perhaps a few yearsafter the hospital is built, further changes might be desired. It wouldtherefore be advantageous to provide a wall of a hospital room whichallows service outlets thereon to be altered in a convenient manner.

It is an object of this invention to provide a wall structure havingservice outlets therein, the wall structure being a part of the wall andallowing changes to be made to the service outlets easily andconveniently. It is a further object of this invention to provide a wallstructure which combines with the rest of the wall of which it is a partto provide a neat and attractive wall appearance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These andother objects of the invention will become apparent from a study of thefollowing description and drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the wall structure built into wall; 1

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the wall structure;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. 1 is shown a wallstructure which forms part of a wall 12 of a hospital room. This wallstructure 10 is built as part of the wall 12 as the hospital isconstructed. The remainder portion 14 of the wall 12 may be of anywell-known construction to complement and blend with the wall structure10. Preferably, the wall structure 10 is strategically placed so thatbeds 16 and 18 may be placed on either side thereof.

Referring to FIG. 2, the wall structure 10 is shown in detail. It ismade up generally of a framework 20 having upper and lower horizontalmembers 22 and 24, and vertical members 26 and 28 each interconnectingthe horizontal members 22 and 24.

Disposed between the vertical members 26, 28 are a pair of consoles 30,32 juxtaposed one above the other. The console 30 has a plurality ofoutlets 34 therein. As will be seen in FIG. 1, the outlets 34 aredisposed on one side of the wall 12 when the structure 10 becomes partof the wall 12, and are then accessible from one room of the hospital.

The console 32 has a plurality of outlets therein (not shown). Theconsole 32 is mounted with its outlets disposed on the opposite side ofwall 12. Those outlets are thus accessible from the hospital room on theopposite side of wall 12. A similar assembly including consoles 36 and38 may be included adjacent the bottom of the framework 20 to add moreoutlets in each room, if needed.

Built into the wall 12 and passing therewithin are a plurality ofconduits 40. These conduits 40 may provide any of a variety of services,such as oxygen, intercommunication, telephone, electricity, and thelike. These conduits connect to the outlets in consoles 30, 32, 36, 38and these outlets act as service outlets, supplying electricity, oxygen,and so forth.

Panels, as 50, 52, 54, are mounted to the framework 20 by means bestsown in FIG. 3. As will be seen therein, vertical member 26 has a pairof longitudinal ribs 26A, 268 formed thereon running from the bottom tothe top thereof and extending inwardly of the framework 20. Verticalmember 28 v has a pair of longitudinal ribs 28A, 288 formed thereonalong the length thereof and extending inwardly of the framework 20.Similarly (FIG. 2), horizontal member 22 has longitudinal ribs 22A, 228formed thereon which extend inwardly of the framework 20, and consoles30, 32 have longitudinal ribs 32A, 32B associated therewith which extendtoward horizontal member 22. The ribs 26A, 28A, 22A, 32A cooperate toform a surface against which panel 50 is fitted. The panel 50 hasU-shaped members 62, 64 mounted'adjacent those edges thereof which areadapted to seat against ribs 26A, 28A. The U-shaped members 62, 64 areof width sufficient to receive the ribs 26A, 28A respectively, havingholding edges 62A, 64A. These holding edges 62A, 64A set on the ribs26A, 28A to hold the panel 50 to the frame 20 when the panel 50 issubstantially centered thereon. However, the U-shaped members 62, 64 areof sufficient depth to allow the panel 50 to be moved a certain extentto the left or right of center (FIG. 3), and when the panel 50 is moved,for example, to the right, holding edge 62A moves to the right and nolonger holds rib 26A therein, allowing that edge of the panel 50 to beswung outward. It thus results that as long as the panel 50 is heldsubstantially centered, it will be held in place on the framework 20. Ifit is moved left or right, it may be removed from the framework.

Acting to keep the panel 50 substantially entered are resilient strips66, 68 adhesively mounted to the members 26, 28, respectively, betweenthe edges of the panel 50 and the members 26, 28. Under normalconditions, the panel 50 is held in a central position thereby. If it isdesired to remove panel 50, it may, for example, be forced to the right(FIG. 3) against the resiliency of strip 68 until the holding edge 62Ais past the end of rib 26A, whereby that edge of the panel 50,

and thus the whole panel 50, may be removed. Replacement thereof is theopposite of these steps.

Additional resilient strips (not shown) may be mounted to the frame 20along the upper and lower edges of the panel 50 to provide a neat anduniform appearance.

Ribs 26B, 28B, 22B, 32B cooperate to form a surface against which panel52 is fitted. Panel 52 is substantially the same structurally as panel50. Thus panel 52 is removably mounted to frame 20. Panel 54, andothers, are similarly mounted, and are thus removable from the frame 20.

It will be seen that herein is provided a wall structure which is partof a wall and which has service outlets therein. Because of the panelsthereon being removably mounted, access can be easily gained to theconduits within B Because of the panels being removably mounted, accesscan be easily gained to the conduits within the wall structure, andchanges and repairs can be made thereto easily and conveniently.Furthermore, the wall structure combines with the remainder portion ofthe wall to provide a neat and attractive appearance.

lclaim:

l. A wall structure forming part of a wall, said wall having serviceconduits passing therewithin, comprising:

a. framework having a pair of horizontal members and a pair of verticalmembers each interconnecting the horizontal members;

b. a first console fixed to and extending between said pair of verticalmembers of said framework;

c. a first plurality of outlets disposed in the first console on a sideof the wall;

d. a second console fixed to and extending between said pair of verticalmembers of said framework; and

e. a second plurality of outlets disposed in the second console on theopposite side of the wall, the first and second pluralities of outletsbeing connected to the service conduits, whereby the outlets act asservice outlets.

2. A wall structure according to claim 1 wherein are included panels andmeans for removably mounting the panels to the framework. 7

3. A wall structure according to claim 2 wherein the means for removablymounting a panel to the framework comprises:

a. a first U-shaped member fitted to an edge of the panel;

b. a first rib formed on the framework and extending toward the panel,the first U-shaped member being disposed with its open end toward thefirst rib to receive it therein;

c. a second U-shaped member fitted to an opposite edge of the panel;

d. a second rib formed on the framework opposite the first rib andextending toward the panel, the second U-shaped member being disposedwith its open end toward the second rib to receive it therein when thefirst rib is received in the first U-shaped member whereby the panel ismounted to the framework, the closed ends of the first and secondU-shaped members being spaced to allow movement of the first rib furtherinto the first U-shaped member and simultaneous movement of the secondrib from within the second U-shaped member, whereby the panel may beremoved from the framework.

4. A wall structure according to claim 3 wherein are included a pair ofspaced channel members each interconnecting the vertical members, theconsole being disposed therebetween.

1. A wall structure forming part of a wall, said wall having serviceconduits passing therewithin, comprising: a. framework having a pair ofhorizontal members and a pair of vertical members each interconnectingthe horizontal members; b. a first console fixed to and extendingbetween said pair of vertical members of said framework; c. a firstplurality of outlets disposed in the first console on a side of thewall; d. a second console fixed to and extending between said pair ofvertical members of said framework; and e. a second plurality of outletsdisposed in the second console on the opposite side of the wall, thefirst and second pluralities of outlets being connected to the serviceconduits, whereby the outlets act as service outlets.
 2. A wallstructure according to claim 1 wherein are included panels and means forremovably mounting the panels to the framework.
 3. A wall structureaccording to claim 2 wherein the means for removably mounting a panel tothe framework comprises: a. a first U-shaped member fitted to an edge ofthe panel; b. a first rib formed on the framework and extending towardthe panel, the first U-shaped member being disposed with its open endtoward the first rib to receive it therein; c. a second U-shaped memberfitted to an opposite edge of the panel; d. a second rib formed on theframework opposite the first rib and extending toward the panel, thesecond U-shaped member being disposed with its open end toward thesecond rib to receive it therein when the first rib is received in thefirst U-shaped member whereby the panel is mounted to the framework, theclosed ends of the first and second U-shaped members being spaced toallow movement of the first rib further into the first U-shaped memberand simultaneous movement of the second rib from within the secondU-shaped member, whereby the panel may be removed from the framework. 4.A wall structure according to claim 3 wherein are included a pair ofspaced channel members each interconnecting the vertical members, theconsole being disposed therebetween.